Companion Stories: Mark
"I have worked since I left school at 17, almost always in care work. I was manager of a care home for people with learning difficulties for 3 years, but I had a break down. I couldn't cope with the responsibility.
I inherited a lot of money from a relative and went to Spain because a couple of friends were working on a boat in Majorca. I started drinking a lot and taking drugs. I wasn't the right person at that time to have been given such a lot of money. If I inherited such an amount now I do completely different things. Everything was getting out of control and I wasn't happy.
I met a couple of people who were going back to Huddersfield, so I went back with them, and carried on the same lifestyle. I was there for a few months and then went to Isle of Wight, my spiritual home. I moved into a flat, had help with my addiction, and had a nice girlfriend. We split up because she had her own problems and couldn't resolve them. I'd stopped drinking. Anything that went wrong was my fault in her eyes. Her brother decided to take a baseball bat to me and I got kicked out.
I slept rough for five and a half months. I slept on beaches, in upturned boats, under trees. Anywhere that gave any cover. Sleeping rough is very dangerous and not very healthy.
I was still in contact with my parents and my mum told me about Emmaus. After about six weeks, a bed became free. I feel different about life now. I feel more secure in myself. I don't take my antidepressants any more. In fact, the second day I came here I stopped. I realised that I was safe.
Emmaus gives you responsibility and believes in you. I've been quite selfish in my life, just thinking about myself. There comes a time when you decide you've got to do something about it. I've stopped feeling sorry for myself.
Staff input has helped. It's nice to know that if you've got a problem you can go to someone. I'm doing a management course at City of Bristol College, teaching supervisory skills and team management. I want to leave Emmaus when I am ready and get a job.
The success of the Community is down to the efforts of the residents. Without that there would be nothing. You have to be prepared for some graft, to invest your energy, to stick with it, and then you get something back."
